The present invention relates to a bean sprout cultivating system, and particularly to a bean sprout cultivating system capable of spraying water uniformly and adjusting pressure on the bean sprouts.
In current bean sprout cultivating systems, water is sprayed on the bean sprouts. To produce high quality bean sprouts and prevent bean sprouts from rotting, various chemicals are used to improve the growth of the bean sprouts. Moreover, manmade polyester is added in the air. However, this way of cultivating bean sprouts very possibly deteriorates the quality of the bean sprouts. Recently, some organic cultivating technologies have been developed. However, these technologies are not completely mature. Many problems still exist, such as complicated multi-layer water supply pipes, expensive control elements, and siphon elements which are difficult to wash. Moreover, additives are needed.
Taiwan Patent No. 167424 xe2x80x9cQuick Cultivating Bean Sprouts System and Water Saving System Having a Function of Automatic Level Balancexe2x80x9d has been assigned to the Applicant of the present invention. In the referenced disclosure, the prior art bean sprout cultivating system is improved as a three dimensional cultivating system. Thereby, water can be uniformly distributed to every cultivation box. However, the water supply system of this prior art cannot effectively distribute water uniformly, and further, the system is complicated.
Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a bean sprout cultivating system capable of spraying water uniformly and adjusting pressure on the bean sprouts. A bottom of a cultivation box has a plurality of conduits, and upper and lower ends of each conduit have a water inlet and a water dropping opening, respectively. When the water flow of a water source from the water feeding system is larger than the total flow of the conduits at the bottom of the cultivation box, a downward water pressure is generated so that water will flow into the water inlet, and water from the water dropping openings flows into the lower cultivation box uniformly. The water then flows through the water dispatching holes in the pressure cover to more uniformly drop to the bean sprouts in the lattice disk. The surplus water will flow into the lower cultivation box from water dropping openings of the conduits. After water has been supplied, the water inlets installed in the conduits will sustain water at a predetermined level to be absorbed by the roots of the bean sprouts. When water has reached the cultivation box of the lowest layer, the surplus water will drain to the lower water exhausting groove from the water dropping openings of the conduits. The water is drained or reprocessed for further use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bean sprout cultivating system wherein the conduit has a water inlet with a predetermined height, and the water inlets of the conduits will retain water which is absorbed by roots of the bean sprouts.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bean sprout cultivating system wherein in the growth process of the bean sprouts, hooks at the lower sides of the two inner walls of the cultivation box and the retaining seat at the two lateral walls of the position block are provided with an elastic pressure adjusting structure formed by a belt. From initiation to the end of the growth time of the bean sprouts, a gradually increasing elastic pressure coefficient, which is derived from a calculation, is applied. (At initiation, 250 grams of bean seeds under a pressure of 1.5 kg, and at the end, 250 grams of bean seeds under a pressure of 15 kg). Under this gradually increasing pressure, the bean sprouts will release a larger amount of ethylene gas so that the bean sprouts will grow uniformly and rapidly. The longitudinal growth of the cells of the bean sprouts will be effectively suppressed, and the transverse expansion of the cells is increased. Moreover, since the bean sprouts are pressed by a continuously increasing force, a larger amount of ethylene gas metabolizes into ethylene monooxygenase and then converts into ethylene oxide. Ethylene oxide is helpful to suppress the growth and breeding of bacteria. Therefore, a cultivating process using no additives is achieved.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a bean sprout cultivating system wherein in picking the bean sprouts, due to the lattice frame of the lattice disk, the bean sprouts can be cut easily so as to separate them from the root.
The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawings.